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Ristar: The Shooting Star, also referred to as simply Ristar, is an action/adventure video game developed by Sega CS R&D and published by Sega in 1995 for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. The game follows the titular Ristar as he travels through the Valdi System in order to put a stop to the evil tyrant Kaiser Greedy's control of it's six planets. A version of Ristar was also released on the Sega Game Gear.
On initial release, Ristar was received relatively positive, however, due to releasing on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive at the very end of its lifecycle, it was sold poorly. Since its release however, Ristar has been re-released multiple times and has been included in many Sega-related game collections, such as Sonic Mega Collection and SEGA Genesis Classics/SEGA Mega Drive Classics.
Story[]
Much like other games from the same timeframe, the game's story varied between the Japanese language release and its English language counterpart. In all versions of the game, the game takes place at a far away system of planets known as the Valdi System, which has been attacked by an evil tyrant known as Kaiser Greedy. He has forced the leaders of the planets to do his bidding, enslaved the people, and used mind control to make the planets' leaders obey him, all while he watches from his Castle.
In the Japanese version, the inhabitants of Planet Neer (Flora in the international version) pray for a hero before Greedy's mind control minion, Riho, snatches the planet elder. The desperate prayers reach the mother of shooting stars, Oruto. She awakens one of her children, Ristar, with the sole purpose of granting the wishes of the innocent people. He must stop Greedy and the brainwashed leaders of each world to restore peace to the Valdi System.
In the international version, Oruto is omitted altogether. Instead, Ristar has a father, the legendary hero, who is a shooting star that protects the constellation of Valjee[1]. Rather than Oruto awakening Ristar, the legendary hero was captured by Greedy, and it is up to Ristar to rescue his father as well.
The game begins at this moment, as Ristar is sent to Planet Flora to begin his adventure. Ristar must fight Greedy's minions throughout all 6 planets and restore the leaders.
Ristar eventually rescues all 6 planets and flies off to Castle Greedy to finish Greedy off once and for all. He manages to defeat him and escapes the castle in time. In the JP version of the game, after the credits, it ends with Greedy and two of his underlings, Inonis and Uranim, stranded on a deserted, unknown planet, with a picture of Ristar appearing in the space, while Greedy simply stares at it. In the US version of the game, Ristar is seen flying to his father's arms, who is finally free.
Gameplay[]
The gameplay is very different from the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games. Ristar attacks by grabbing the enemies with his long arms from either a close or mid-range stance, and then headbutting them. Ristar's arms can also be used to ride spinners, which are used to move Ristar to a different location or to access some hidden Bonus Areas. His arms are also used to climb walls, swing across poles, and even find bonuses inside some walls.
Levels[]
Manuals[]
Gallery[]
See Also[]
Trivia[]
- The working title for Ristar was called "Dexstar"
| Ristar (Genesis) | ||
| Valdi System | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characters | Ristar- Oruto - Ristar's Father | |
| Levels | Planet Flora - Planet Undertow - Planet Scorch - Planet Sonata - Planet Freon - Planet Automaton - Castle Greedy - Bonus Stages | |
| Mini-Bosses | Armoured Tree Snake - Memory Machine - Head Orblet - Freon Kid | |
| Bosses | Riho - Ohsat - Adahan - Awaueck - Itamor - Uranim - (Inonis & Eyebar - 555) - Kaiser Greedy | |
| Items & Other | Treasure | |
| Prototypes | Feel - Ristar (Genesis) (Aug 26, 1994 Prototype) - Ristar (Genesis) (Jul 1, 1994 Prototype) - Ristar (Genesis) (Jul 18, 1994 Prototype) | |
- ↑ "The evil King of Despair holds the constellation of Valjee under a reign of terror, spreading misery and darkness." - Ristar back of the box, EU release, 1995